Ten Legends Link Told Zelda
by Useless-Materia
Summary: Link had always been a storyteller. It was about himself and his own thoughts that he spoke little. I was nearly dizzy at the thought that he was finally telling ours… Semi-AU OoT
1. Prologue

A/N: Hi y'all! It's been a while but I'm back with a new story! It's about half written right now, and is going to be 10+ chapters. It's decidedly ZeLink, and the world it is set in is mostly similar to Ocarina of Time. Don't expect updates continuously, but I do promise to finish this.

It began as a one-shot and unraveled out of my control. Sigh. So goes the writing process, no?

It's similar in style to my biggest story to date, which is Ten Times Shikamaru Thought about Kissing Ino, the prompt being the same. But this time, I thought I'd do stories. I was fascinated with the idea of Link being a story teller, since he's such a quiet character. I plan to play with that a bit more. As for the legends themselves, I also found myself fascinated with the way stories change over time - the nature of oral storytelling itself - so the myths Link shares will sometimes be similar to things we know to be true of the Zeldaverse, but with a bit of wear and tear.

Anyhow, I hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Ten Legends Link Told Zelda**

**Prologue**

**Bond**

**. . . . .**

I flew into the great hall in a panic, voice pitched, crying out to none in particular and all at once. "They arrested the Chosen Hero?! How could they! Don't they know who he is?!"

_Calm your farcicalities, Zelda. He vanished after Ganondorf's defeat. No one knows him but you._

Suddenly my guardian, Sheik, grabbed my arm. "Don't go running in and releasing him right away. Don't say anything. I will speak for you. He wants to tell you something. Let him."

I looked at him for a long moment. Sheik had been with me always – in the shadows, there for my protection. A member of the ancient and long-lived Sheikah tribe who were agents of the goddesses, Sheik had been my guide and protector since birth. Through our connection he had seen our journey, despite his imprisonment by Ganondorf. He knew our story like none but we ourselves knew it. I trusted him innately. And if Sheik was telling me to listen, I would do just that. I nodded once, and together we turned as the great door opened.

My hands shook from too many thoughts.

Link knelt on the stone floor, blindfolded, hands tied behind his back, with the spears of the guards at his throat. I knew he could escape if he so desired, but it incensed me to see him bound just the same. I willed myself calmer. My hands clammy and still shaking, I balled them into fists full of silk at my sides. Not very regal behavior, using an expensive dress in such a way, but I was used to the woods and the earth now, and the nuances required for customs of decorum would take a while to come back to me, I knew.

Sheik led the conversation and I swallowed thickly, trying not to make a sound. Seeing him as he knelt there, the flood of sensation filled me to the brim.

"The guards say you walked up to the gates, stranger. What sort of man eludes security until the last minute and then allows himself to be captured?"

Link's reply rang low and clear throughout the massive, marble throne room. "I came to talk to S…. Princess Zelda."

My heart flitted about my chest like a caged bird. _Sorcha. He was going to call me Sorcha. _Oh, to hear the sound of his deep voice once more, calling out the name he'd given me, the mute girl at his side… My blood sang now, as it did when he would call it out before – full of worry, surprise, mirth – in those rich tones that heralded him from the Forest.

"What business could you possibly have with the princess, stranger?" Sheik's voice was authoritative and cold but I knew he trusted the hero – with my own life, even. Sheik felt certain there was need of such charades and so I believed. I kept my agreement and remained silent.

"I want to tell her a story. If she will listen."

I nodded fervently; a gesture that merely spoke of my eagerness, but the motion was reflex and propriety secondary. _A story… _Link was always telling me stories. Sheik ignored my embarrassing unspoken admissions and informed Link; "She will hear it. Go on."

"She is…" He stiffened. I knew what he must be thinking. Did such a statement imply I was here? I must not let him know for certain yet. After a silent moment he swallowed and continued.

"There once was a peasant from the Kokiri, who was tasked with traversing the land of Hyrule to save it from a great evil. On his journey, he came across many wondrous and strange things, but none so peculiar as the beautiful, starved girl drowning in a river."

I felt myself sinking into the story. His voice had that enchanting and faraway tone he used when he would spin tales. Stories never written down. Stories none of the historians in the castle could ever have dreamt of knowing. Sorcerers, faerie queens, spirits that lived in the bark of trees. And the people who stumbled upon them.

Link had always been a storyteller. It was about himself and his own thoughts that he spoke little. I was nearly dizzy at the thought that he was finally telling ours…

He began to speak and I remembered my own cold beginning: a tower, a prison, and a goddess.


	2. Chapter 0: A Tower, a Prison & a Goddes

**Ten Legends Link Told Zelda**

**Chapter 0**

**A Tower, a Prison & a Goddess**

* * *

"Zelda who cries in the darkness. What would you do to save your kingdom?"

A woman's voice – ageless and serene – echoed in my mind. My heart thudded with wonder in my chest, as though it knew what was about to unfold. And then the great goddess Nayru appeared before me. In my heart I knew it was she; there was nothing but faith and certainty that filled my mind on the matter.

"My lady!" I genuflected before the goddess of love and wisdom and felt her warm hand on the back of my head.

"Rise, my child, and tell me. What would you do to save your kingdom?"

"Anything." The response fell from my lips: a prayer, a vow, a plea. "I would do anything to save my people."

Nayru smiled warmly at me, "I can feel your conviction, my dear. And I believe you will."

"Tell me what I must do and I shall do it, my lady."

"It shall not be easy, Zelda. You will traverse your own lands, not as a princess, but as a common Hylian. And you will find a hero, a man who will come from the east, carried by my sister-goddess. Farore will teach him of courage; but you must be his wisdom. With your aid he will forge his way through the darkness."

Hope surged in my chest. I would do this. I would find this hero.

"Zelda, you will speak of none of this. You will tell no one of my assistance, you will tell none of his destiny. Only you and he will know his purpose, and he will not know your identity."

"I swear to tell not a soul."

"My dear," At this Nayru looked stern, and for all her gentle qualities, the great power and abundant _being_ of the goddess danced in my mind. "When I say you will not speak, I mean simply that you will say nothing at all. Your silence will determine my aid as well as your success. Not a word may escape your lips throughout this journey."

Fear swarmed into my chest where the hope had once been. A term of silence? How would I communicate my mission to the hero? How would I survive in the world without the arts of language? Panic seized my throat and (horribly) I could think of nothing to say.

Nayru spoke in soothing tones, "Your hero will know his task. And you now know yours. You will aid him in silence and together you will come to understand each other. You will teach him to listen." She smiled and it was radiant as the sun. "To listen is the first lesson of love."

"You must wake now, Princess who Dreams. And when you do, you must climb out the window and leap. And when you land, you must run."

I bowed to Nayru and she set her hand upon me once more. "Oh, my child. There is much in store for you. You have strength you do not know. But you will."

Nayru narrowed her eyes, and her irises danced with wild blue fire. Her voice reverberated in my bones, a whisper, a shout: "_Now go._"

My eyes snapped open and I sat up in a flash. Everything from my dream felt as real as the horrible damp of the tower, and my head spun. "_Now go._" The command echoed all around me.

I heard heavy footsteps climbing the long stairs to my prison, chains dragging behind. Without a second thought, I scrambled up to the large window sill; the height of the tower was staggering. The door to my prison burst open, and an angry shout ripped through the night air, suffocated only slightly by the wind that whipped the rags of my skirt about me. I closed my eyes and leapt.

As I fell I heard a gentle humming, and dared to peak. Encased in a blue diamond of magic, my descent slowed. _Nayru's Love. _The name came to me with the same certainty I felt when drawing on the magic in my soul.

I landed softly on the grass, my feet touching down silently. Distant voices from the castle drifted to my ears and the barking of dogs echoed in the dark. I wasted not a second more.

I ran.

. . . . .

_That night had seen the end of the d__ark days. The imprisonment, the helplessness, the fear. My dream had begun my story – had sent me from the darkness towards the light. Towards the Hero. Ganondorf's fall began in my tower: a story that starts with the Man in Green and a Woman in the Blue._


	3. Chapter 1: Man in Green, Woman in Blue

A/N: Hey guys! Third chapter up here, and we finally meet Link! I'm pretty excited. I hope everyone likes this story; it's been in my mind for at least a year now, if not longer. One of the things I want to do with it is to employ the use of so many of Link's items and gadgets. LoZ is a game known for its items, so I wanted to play with them a bit, such as the Zora Tunic here.

Okay, enough ramblings, let's get this show on the road!

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**Ten Legends Link Told Zelda**

**Chapter 1 **

**Man in Green, Woman in the Blue**

It was night, and the dogs had come through the trees, unleashed and howling – chasing after my scent. I could hear them in the darkness and in my mind they were exploding through the tall grass, making seconds of the distance I'd earned over minutes in my attempted haste.

I scrambled through bushes and mud, trying to erase my scent on the riverbank. But it wasn't long and suddenly they were there. Hardly thinking, I flung myself into the river and the current tore me from their reach with seconds to spare. But a river has its own agenda, and the waves ripped me deeper and deeper into the middle of the raging waters.

Tossed about, bruised by unseen bludgeons in the cold waters of winter, I struggled to remain on the surface as panic swelled within me. I thought I'd heard a shout, but over the roar in my head, there was no room for other noises. And yet, after slamming into a rock midstream and while scrambling for a handhold, I felt a strong arm grasp mine. I was heaved out of the water and on top of the stone outcrop, gasping and coughing.

_There was nothing but green before the dark._

_. . . . ._

I awoke to the soft sound of a crackling fire. I sat up with a start, gasping for breath, heart racing in fear of the unknown. Darkness, the campfire and my wet hair indicated I had not been out for long. Inspection showed that I was wrapped in a well-worn blanket, clothed in nothing but a large, blue tunic. By the grace of the goddesses I remembered my vow of silence, and swallowed my scream.

Deep blue eyes suddenly over the fire. "You're awake. I'm glad."

Chest heaving, I stared at my rescuer. Clad in a green tunic similar to the one I wore, he had the amicable look of those that hail from the forest. Eyes roaming him however revealed a layer of chain mail underlining his clothing. A sword rested near his side.

"Everything will be alright, miss. I won't hurt you." His voice was low and in another world I might have found it comforting. But in this one I was indecent and cold, lying in a clearing in the middle of the woods.

Nayru would not have been proud of me. In hindsight I am not proud of myself. But the shock of everything – of the takeover, the tower, the dream, the hounds and the river – and now this stranger before me, who had removed my clothing and certainly seen what none were to ever see of the princess… What a trifling straw to cause the break.

I fainted again.

. . . . .

I came to with those blue eyes staring from above.

"I know it's useless to tell you not to be afraid, miss but I promise I will not harm you."

I leapt backwards, startled. He was so close. The blanket fell from around me, a shoulder bared by the looseness of the tunic. Face burning furiously, I yanked it up once more and covered myself from neck to toe. The man in green averted his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I mean no lechery. But Zora's River is freezing and you would have died in your wet clothing."

It was hard to focus on him - tugging at my consciousness, I realized that the tunic encasing me was humming with water magic. Why had I taken so long to notice? He had clothed me in a Zora's Tunic. It had probably saved my life, if I swallowed half as much river as I recalled. Examining the fabric more closely, the small shimmering scales sewn into the cloth confirmed the feeling. My gaze shot to him once more.

He was backing away, hands out in a gesture of peace, eyes averted. He himself seemed embarrassed and flushed and I took it as a sign of good intent. Certainly this man could have left me to die, or rescued me only to abuse me. But so far neither had occurred; he had certainly gone out of his way to ensure my recovery. And yet the fear stuck to me still and I shivered with a mix of frost and fright.

"I don't mean to frighten you. When you're ready, it's best if you eat."

He sighed beneath my wary gaze. Pulling out a wheel of cheese and a loaf of bread from a sack near the fire, he carefully cut them with a knife. As he got up, I flinched again, not purposefully; his motions stalled and he winced. I felt an uncontrollable guilt roil in my stomach. Getting no closer, he set the food down where I could reach it and backed away.

"When you're ready."

I nodded and he sat. My whole body trembled underneath the blanket he'd wrapped around me and I inched closer to the fire, averting my eyes from my rescuer. It was irrational. But fear often is and even as the memory of the bloodhounds and the river shrunk away, my mission sharpened in my mind. More than anything I now felt the tremendous weight of Nayru's words echoing in my head.

"You must champion this with only your own earned strength, my daughter. Every ounce of your victory over hatred must be earned through your heart."

The time had come for the hero of courage to emerge, the goddess has said as much in my dream. It was up to me, the preordained receptacle of the Triforce of Wisdom to aid him in his quest. But where to find him and how to help him I knew not. And ever the while Ganondorf was terrorizing the country, ruling through tyranny and force while I sat here cold and helpless.

And where was Sheik? Was my guardian even alive? Last I had seen him he was holding Ganondorf's minions at bay so I might escape. All for naught, for I was caught and thrown in the east tower just the same. I feared so deeply for his safety; why was he not showing himself in my dreams? Was I truly alone?

Panic welling within me, I took a deep breath and remembered my oath of silence. All that I had promised my patron goddess… to fulfill such vows I must not give in to fright. And I must stay alive. The essentials were what I needed to focus on now: food, warmth and shelter. Provisions this stranger appeared willing to provide.

So I leaned forward and took the food. His eyes snapped up and the first signs of a smile tugged at his mouth. Guard still up, I ate slowly and considered this man in green; despite his kindness, I had to prepare myself for anything.

Looking back now, what I could never have prepared for was the persistent softness of his voice.

"Miss. Have you heard many tales of the Lost Woods?"

I blinked slowly, wondering at his reasons for asking, and gave him only the smallest of head shakes.

He smiled slightly wider at this, and leaned back against the tall tree that sheltered our makeshift camp. Out of his pouch he took a small knife and block of wood, and began to carve.

"Then I will tell you a tale that the people of my village pass down. Perhaps a story will help to ease your anxiety. Have you heard of the Skull Kids?"

If I had been less on edge it might have been easier to think straight. I recalled snippets of the royal historian's lectures on children who wandered too far into the woods, but little more. For now, though, I was more preoccupied with trying to asses this shaggy-haired man, glancing up at me, hands stilled in his work.

I shook my head slowly, not daring to take my eyes off of him. He smiled and said accommodatingly,

"Then I will tell you. The Lost Woods are a treacherous place, and my people often say that you can lose far more than your way in there. For Hylians, spending too much time in the woods turns them into Stalfos – skeletal warriors who haunt the nights. But a Kokiri who stays in the woods too long will become a Skull Kid."

His words stilled, and I watched his deft hands carving in the firelight – rhythmic, hypnotizing. He began again, and his words had a cadence that calmed my frantic thoughts.

"My people, the Kokiri, they call them the lonely ones. They have no fairies and no faces, and they long for the company of other children."

The fire was warm, and yet it felt so far away – like it would never quite thaw my bones. My skin began to crawl as the rich sound of his voice recalled images - memories of picture books – of children dressed in colorful rags, their visages shadowed as they danced.

"In a land not so different from ours there was one such Skull Kid who felt abandoned by his friends and vengefully brought a curse down on the land."

The man paused and I shivered - this time not from the cold, but from a very real feeling of being put under a spell, though I knew there was no magic. For his tale, his voice and the dancing fire my nerves suddenly seemed less raw and my fear just a little less immediate.

"Loneliness is a powerful thing. It twists a soul around inside until they don't know which way is up. Such is the fate of the Skull Kids. Sadly, it sometimes comes to pass that such a soul as this stumbles upon a great power. And so often great hurting begets great hurt. This Skull Kid happened upon an ancient, enchanted mask, and through its corrupting power, summoned the moon from the sky and brought it crashing down towards the land."

I stared at the wood chips strewn about his feet. They fell in a pattern I couldn't seem to discern. The man in green was right about the nature of the wounded, certainly.

"The Kokiri have great respect for masks, you see. They can be very dangerous – disguising your true self in favor of another identity. But they can also be used for good – they can make you bold, make you stronger. Because sometimes masks are nothing more than multiplications of the different parts of the soul. Parts of you that were there all along."

Fire and shadow danced across his face as he spoke. My thoughts on all else fell away.

"How the Skull Kid was stopped none know for sure – the three days following the moon's descent are hazy – all who were there tell a different tale. But everyone agrees on one thing: a young boy who came from the woods, called forth the four giants and stopped the moon's fall. They say he was five people at once, but the Kokiri know that he was a mask-wielder. And that he used them for good.

"He saved the land from destruction, and what's perhaps more remarkable, he saved the Skull Kid from himself. The Kokiri tell this story to remind themselves of the power of loneliness, and the even greater power of friendship."

He brushed wood chips from his lap and put his work away. There was a strong silence that held the air, but it was a silence somehow filled with many things; the crackle of the fire, the wind in the trees and the resonance of the man's words in my mind.

"You're probably wondering. So yes, I know I'm not actually a Kokiri. But that's where I grew up."

I would come to realize later that this man was not much for words, aside from his stories. And his stories were never about him. This rare bit of personal information, which seemed out of place and perhaps even awkward, was, in fact, his way of trying to make me feel at ease. I know now that I did not appreciate it for what it was. At the time, my mind was still reeling from the story – from everything that has transpired that fateful night.

"We'll head out in the morning. Don't be afraid to get some sleep. You're safe here." And I believed him. He began to walk out of the clearing when he paused and turned around.

"Forgive me, miss. My name is Link. It's nice to meet you."

As though the goddesses themselves stole it away, my fear was gone. My eyelids grew heavy with the ordeals of the day and they closed on his boots as he walked away.

. . . . .

_Thus began my journey with Link, and his infectious serenity engulfed me when I was on the verge of losing my nerve. I drifted off peacefully that night, in hopes of a message, a premonition, anything to guide me to the Hero – the one I had no recognized before my eyes. It shows that the goddesses withhold from even the Princess Who Dreams._


	4. Chapter 2: The Princess Who Dreams

A/N: I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. Last chapter I spoke a bit about my use of LoZ items – there will be more of that to come, but I also wanted to mention the magic in the series, and Ocarina of Time in particular. I

am fascinated by the idea of Zelda's magic, and her prophetic dreams – I wanted to take it one step further, and give Zelda even more control over her dreams, as though the dreamplane where she visits is some sort of spectral place to communicate with others. There will also be more of Zelda knowing the magic of the land, like Nayru's Love in Chapter 0.

So enjoy, and please review!

**Ten Legends Link Told Zelda**

**Chapter 2**

**The Princess who Dreams**

* * *

That night I dreamt of the east tower once more. The damp, dark prison into which Ganondorf had thrown me. Months I'd spent there, howling in my frustration, weeping for Hyrule and her people. My people.

It was to be expected – it was all I had known for so long, and all that I had barely escaped only hours before. The dreams have always stayed with me – the prophetic and the banal – and this one hung over me the following morning and colored my mood. My rescuer said nothing of it, merely let me ride on the back of his horse as he led her.

I'd awoken with a start – a new habit I seemed to have formed in this life on the run – and spotted my clothing, dry and waiting for me on a boulder in the sun. He'd been polite in looking away as I changed, half-hidden behind his horse, and I couldn't seem to calm the blush on my cheeks as I changed in the open. Imagine what the council would say if they could see their royal princess now. I was startled from my pity party when the man in green – _Link_, he said his name was Link - called out over his shoulder.

"We'll eat and then we'll get on the road. We're heading toward Kakariko Village. There's an innkeeper there who will take good care of you until you feel ready to leave."

A reasonable solution; Kakariko was as good a place as any to start my search. And so once I was decent, I stepped from behind the horse and nodded to him, holding out the Zora's Tunic to my rescuer.

In the light of day I saw his features more clearly. His strong jaw and piercing eyes gave him a more solemn look than the dancing firelight had cast; by the judge of his muscularly defined torso and arms, his work largely consisted of physical activity. Perhaps a mercenary for hire? The Kokiri had no need of a huntsman and no woodcutter would own such a sword as I had seen glitter in the darkness at his side. He had mentioned he wasn't Kokiri himself though. What would bring him this far out of the Kokiri Forest, where few ever left? What reason had he to be where he was?

His eyes held mine and I could tell he was studying me just the same as I; after a spell, he reached out and took the tunic from me. The motion sent a shiver racing up my spine, I turned away.

I tried to unravel the mysteries of my river rescuer over our small breakfast, and then further as he packed up the camp. Neither of us spoke – I because of my oath, and his for reasons he certainly wasn't unveiling.

When all was ready to go, he turned to face me straight on for the first time that morning. "You can ride Epona and I'll lead." Before I could scarcely blink, his horse, Epona he'd said, walked right up to us and stood beside me. And then Link knelt to give me a boost into the saddle in the same moment that I'd swung myself up. His raised eyebrows were the only thing that showed his surprise at my equestrian aptitude. Then we were off.

. . . .

We traveled all afternoon and it soon became apparent that we had gotten something of a late start. Link had certainly been waiting for my awakening, and I had slept until mid-morning. It was becoming more and more obvious that I had been blessed to run across such a rescuer as Link had turned out to be.

The silence drifted on as I held back a thousand questions and comments. Now put into practice, the limits of our interactions were brought to light. Birds chirped overhead and I envied them their simple song.

Link must have caught me staring up at the swirling clouds, for what else would have prompted him to say, "There is a myth the people tell, of an island in the sky. An entire city, to be exact." I looked down at the green Phrygian cap on his head. He glanced back up to judge my interest. Finding it, he smiled slightly and returned his gaze to the road before us.

"They say that ages ago, in the long distant past, the land we live in now was teeming with monsters, and that the true children of the goddesses lived in the sky."

I knew only vaguely of such things, of the Land Before. But those stories existed like fog on the edges of Hylian history. None of the archivists had more than bits and pieces of the old legends, of the times before.

"It is said the place was called _Skyloft_, and that the people there rode great birds to get around, the way we ride horses now. Back then, Hyrule was nothing more than the land beneath the clouds."

Could Link honestly know more than the historians?! That seemed unlikely. But then, how often did those stuffy old men get out and talk to the people? How much of oral tradition seeped through the generations uncatalogued? Probably more than we could fathom.

"A young man from Skyloft ventured forth onto the land below, to find the goddess who had need of him – the goddess he had come to love. There, he helped to create the Master Sword and defeat the evil spirit, Demise, in her name. Then the two remained on Hyrule."

I couldn't help but wonder where this man had been hearing his stories; under the bright blue sky above and amidst the gentle breeze, I half-heartedly fought off the feeling of being enchanted.

"But Demise cursed them both. For as long as they two shall reappear in this world, his hatred would follow them. They would live again and again, for all time, eternally entwined. And the spirit of Demise would follow."

He trailed off and I could not help but reflect on his words. What a fate, to be eternally linked to your one true love, and eternally plagued by a being of hatred and destruction. Such a cycle… could I endure such a fate? Such a duality of existence – always loved and always hated, in equal passion…

Now that his tale was finished, the silence fell back upon us like a shroud. The remainder of the day was spent in such a fashion, excepting Link's final comment after his story.

"Either you can't speak or you chose not to." He tossed a long glance back at me and I lowered my chin in affirmation. His soft "hnn" was the only response and we continued as before.

Considering it, I'd decided Link had chosen his words very carefully in regards to that statement. Then immediately after the conclusion, I determined more correctly that Link was the sort of person who used words little, and chose _all _of them carefully.

. . . .

After a day of relaxing blue skies and soft breezes, our arrival in Kakariko that evening brought me swiftly back to reality. Panic churned within me as the thought of being recognized. But nothing of the sort occurred and, to my vast shame, I realized that I looked the part of the complete vagabond. Clothes in tatters, hair unwashed and unkempt, there were none who would have known their princess in rags.

And what must be said for Link's kindness to follow was of its immensity. Taking us directly to the inn, he helped me dismount, my body weary and unaccustomed to a full day of travel upon horseback. He then led me to the innkeeper, a gregarious woman named Telma. She grinned widely and embraced the young man.

"Link honey! It's so good to see you again!" Link smiled at her and returned the greeting.

"Good to see you as well, Telma. My friend and I need a place to stay." As she noticed me for the first time, Telma's eyes darted between us. I became even more self-conscious about the overall dilapidated state of my being.

"My, she's a cute one. Looks like she's a bit worn, though. Link, you gotta remember to treat your lady a little more kindly." I shook my head to attempt clarification, but Link spoke.

"She's not my lady, Telma. But if anyone asks, it might be best to say she is. She doesn't speak, and I don't want anything to happen to her." Telma's grin fell into a solemn line.

"Doesn't speak? Well you might be right, Link. I'd hate to think of such nasty things, but it is always better to be prepared." Link nodded; I felt helpless and invisible.

"I'll be off in the morning, but she needs a place to stay for a little while. Would it-" Telma interrupted him with a wave of her hand.

"Say no more, honey. The little lady can stay as long as she needs. I'll look after her." Her smile was warm as it fell on me. I curtsied deeply to her, trying to show my thanks for her kindness and immediately wondered at myself. I should perhaps work on being less formal if I were to fit in.

"Ho, what a graceful woman, you are. I bet you'd like a bath before supper, yes?" My eyes must have revealed my joy at her suggestion, because she laughed almost before I nodded.

"I'll have a new dress sent up as well for you… I don't know your name, miss. Link, what is this young woman's name?"

Link's mouth set in a harsh line – harsher than I would have expected – and said ruefully, "I have no way of knowing, I'm afraid." Telma shook her head as she handed Link two keys.

"Shame, a girl with no name." She caught my gaze out of the corner of her eye, and I quickly looked at the floor. Certainly this no-name business would not last long. But none could know I was Zelda, and what name could I give besides? Even if I had a pseudonym, however could I convey it without breaking my oath? I stared at the wooden floorboards and beat off thoughts of how insurmountable my cause felt.

"What do I owe you, Telma?" Link reached into his pouch and withdrew a 100 rupee note. She waved his money off with a scoff.

"For you, Link, there's no charge." He smiled at her and pocketed his rupee.

"Thank you, Telma." She winked at him.

"Anytime, honey."

His amicability was surely contagious; it seemed I was not the only one drawn quickly into his trust. I had no inkling of what he had done for this woman to earn her confidence and gratitude so, but for certain it was complete.

These were my thoughts as I watched a young maid, who called herself Tilly, fill my tub with hot water. She prattled nonstop as she prepared my bath – Telma had been more than generous – but it was welcome noise, and I tried to nod and smile where appropriate. Best of all, she didn't seem to mind my silence.

Soaking in the warm water washed away more than just the dirt of the trip, and I found my thoughts cleared and worries abated, for a time. Perhaps I dozed off, for suddenly Tilly had returned with my nightgown. "When you've changed, let me help you with your hair, miss – you have such lovely hair. The compliment was sweet, and when I'd come from behind the changing curtain, I nodded to the young girl.

I tried not to flinch away at her casualness as she took my hand and drew me to the sitting stool. While I was well-accustomed to being attended to, I was unaccustomed to being touched so informally as Tilly was wont to do; I must hide such mannerisms if I were to fit in.

As she pleated my long, wet hair, she nudged me playfully and said, "Your betrothed is quite handsome, miss. Wouldn't mind a man like that myself!"

I had the decency to blush at her comment and closeness, and laughter rang out impishly in reply.

That night as I slept in the inn, I dreamt again. But this time it was not of the hard stone tower. As though awake, I watched the goddess Nayru reveal herself in the middle of my small room. She came in blue light and splendor and all around her felt serene.

"My daughter. You have done well thus far. But there is still far to go."

I curtsied low before her and said, "Your grace, I will begin my search tomorrow. I will find the one destined to save Hyrule and I will aid and guide him without voice, just as you commanded."

A sound akin to the tinkling of silver bells echoed through the room, and I realized the goddess was laughing.

"My child. The hero has already found you. Easier even than I expected, and so here remains the truth of it: the Hero of Hyrule heard your desperate call and came."

My thoughts ground together slowly – my rescuer, the man in green, the one who pulled me from the freezing water of Zora's River, who clothed me nobly, fed me, kept me alive, and brought me safely here, out of Ganondorf's sight. Was I so dim?

_Link_.

Link was the hero! How had I not seen this? It seemed so obvious now, but hindsight always seems so clear.

"Link! I called to him? I swear on my honor if I even now broke my vow of silence I will atone. I had not even realized-"

"You did not call out with your voice. You called with your heart and Farore helped him to hear. It is a very good sign, Princess who Dreams. Remember what I told you; there are far better ways of communing than with your words. Your hearts know them, but your minds have forgotten. Together you and he must discover them anew."

Her praise felt rejuvenating, but there was alarm as well; how would I repeat such a task? I had not even known I'd called to Link with my heart, as Nayru said. Perhaps Link himself had known to find me as well?

"Does Farore speak to Link as you deign to speak to me, my lady?" Nayru smiled and I felt the distinct impression that this one was directed at nothing but me. It was an overwhelmingly warm sensation.

"As the bearer of wisdom, you and I share a special bond. What Link and Farore share is also immense, but does not manifest itself in dreams or conversations. What he must learn of direction, he shall learn from you, my dear. You are to be his guide."

I nodded with more resolution than I felt, not knowing what else to do with such information. Nayru began to fade. "Do not let your hero leave without you at his side."

. . . .

I awoke. How long had I slept? Was it the next day already? My life was flittering by between dreams and I felt as though the reigns were slipping from my hands. Throwing myself from my bed, I donned the soft, simple blue dress, wool cloak and brown boots Tilly had left on the chair beside my bed and leapt down the stairs.

Neither Link nor Telma was to be found in the inn. Scrambling, I bounded out the door for the stables, fearing Nayru's warning had come too late. Finding him listening amicably to Telma while he finished tacking Epona, the relief surged through me. Hardly thinking, I ran to his horse and hoisted myself up into her saddle before he could barely get out a syllable.

My heart beat frantically, and I tried to sooth it. _I have not lost my chance. The Hero is still here; I have not been left behind._

Telma and Link stared up at me in shock; the heat would have crawled across my face in any other circumstance, but I was determined, and paid no heed to the part of me that screamed in embarrassment at my brashness.

After a few moments, Telma began to laugh. "It seems perhaps she's your lady after all! Link, you rouge!"

But Link was regarding my face carefully, and I gazed back firmly.

_We must go to Death Mountain. _I raised one hand and pointed towards the mountain range in the distance with all the authority I could muster. I cannot say where the though came from, just that I knew it to be true. _We must go to Death Mountain. _Slowly, Link's eyes followed my gesture before returning to my face.

"She wants you to take her with you for sure, honey. Can't say I blame her, a handsome man like you." Telma's teasing continued, but Link did not seem to hear her.

It was almost as though…

His eyes bore into mine. I returned his stare with conviction.

_As though…_

His jaw ticked in the corner and he looked away. He strode over to his sword, sheathed and leaning against the barn door, and lifted it by the strap. He stood there, staring at the blade for a long moment. As it swayed in the air, blue steel hilt gleaming, it hit me like a thunderbolt: it was the Master Sword! Had I ever been anything more than a blind fool? Link had possessed it this entire time and yet I had seen it not. _You were not looking, Zelda._ I could just hear what Nayru would say.

Link was lost in his thoughts (and impervious to the franticness my discovery had created within me) as he slid the leather sash across his broad chest and buckled the sword snug. Next, with movements as slow as though he were underwater, he fastened his shield in place, then hefted his pack onto Epona's rump, and fastened and tightened it. Unaffected by my presence, inches away from where I sat, his hands lingered on the straps. Twisting in the saddle, I gazed down at him, at the top of his head, and the strong fingers tapping lightly on the buckles.

Both Telma and I were silent, and I was filled with anxiety, refusing to lift my gaze from the crown of his head.

Finally, he looked up, and his blue stare pierced me.

"Alright, miss."

He stepped back from the saddle, and began to shuffle through his purse.

"But first we are getting you your own horse."

. . . .

_And so we left together. Link, my hero. The man who would save my kingdom. And I, no longer the princess, no longer Zelda, but a common Hylian girl with no words. What then, was I to him? If Farore did not guide him as Nayru guided me, then why was he so willing to bring me along? I trusted in the goddesses wisdom and power, and led him **into the fire.**_

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